I’m sure you’ve heard the term, sensory overload, or maybe you are one of the unlucky individuals who experience it on the regular? If you haven’t experienced it, let me start by saying it feels AWFUL! You want to get far, far away from all of the stimulation and demands being placed on you, you may curl up in a ball, feel out of control, desperate, or you may cry or want to hit something to release some of the built up energy inside of you. You feel so overwhelmed by what is going on around you that your brain initiates a fight or flight response because it can’t take anymore. 

What is Sensory Overload? 

Sensory overload is when your 8 senses take in more information than your brain is able to process, leaving you feeling extremely overwhelmed and triggering a fight or flight reaction. You are likely aware of the 5 senses of sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch. Have you heard of the 3 hidden senses of proprioception, vestibular, and interoception?  Proprioception is the awareness of our body position. Our muscles and joints sense the position of our body and send messages to the brain. We rely on this information to plan our body movements.  Our vestibular system senses our position and movement in space in relation to gravity. It helps to maintain our balance and spatial orientation. Interoception is being able to sense information from our internal organs such as hunger, the need to go to the bathroom, and even our emotions. Well developed interoception is key to emotional regulation. 

Symptoms of Sensory Overload

Each person will be different in the symptoms they feel during sensory overload. Some common ones are feeling irritable, rage, fidgety, numb, strong urge to escape the stimulation, pressure in your head, altered breathing (more shallow or faster), skin crawling, hot, flushed face, inability to focus. 

Is this Sensory Overload or Postpartum Rage or Postpartum Anxiety?

Although these conditions can all be interrelated, the difference lies in the cause. Sensory overload will always be caused by too much sensory information i.e., too loud, too bright, too much movement, too much light touch. Keep in mind that what may be too much sensory input for one person may be very different for the next person, and will vary by the time of day and amount of stress the person is under. Postpartum rage and postpartum anxiety have a multitude of causes and triggers, one of which may be sensory overload. 

Common Triggers and Contributing Factors to Sensory Overload in Moms

• Sensory sensitivities to noise, touch, smells, clutter or busy, visual environments (stores, parties, fairs)
• Neurodiversity
• Birth trauma or trauma in general can heighten the sensitivity of one’s nervous system
• Heightened alertness to danger (enlarged amygdala) as in pregnancy and postpartum to prepare you to care for your baby.
• Not receiving enough help around the house or with your baby
• Lack of emotional and social support through the big transitions of becoming a mother and all the many stages afterwards.
• Sleep deprivation reduces our ability to cope
• Not engaging in regular stress reduction activities
• Increased stress of having a baby, many competing responsibilities and tasks, perhaps financial stress, change in identity or relationships, having a baby with medical or developmental needs. 
  
  

Personal Stories 

Have you experienced any of these? 

Case Study 1: Your baby is breastfeeding aggressively because they are going through a growth spurt and your milk supply doesn’t seem to be keeping up. Your toddler is whining and climbing all over your head and shoulders like you are a freakin’ jungle gym wanting you to come play with them or make them a snack. Add in that you know your partner is working late so you have another 3 hours to go before you get a break. Perfect storm. 

Case Study 2: You’re out shopping and your baby is colicky and the crying is getting to you. You wanted to get out of the house for the day but wonder if it is worth it. Then your toddler proceeds to have the biggest tantrum of his/her life. Cue sensory overload. 

Case Study 3: You feel incredibly frustrated and overwhelmed everytime you are in your kitchen and living room when you see the clutter of toys, unwashed dishes, and shower gifts/cards that you haven’t had the time to put away, clean, or do something about. You feel resentful that your partner isn’t helping as much as you think he/she/they should be. You didn’t sleep well last night and it all feels TOO MUCH!

Effective Prevention Strategies for Sensory Overload

1. Identify your sensory sensitivities and what factors make you more sensitive to them (poor sleep, times of day)  and come up with a plan for reducing or managing them. You may already know them or reach out to an OT to fill out a sensory processing measure questionnaire for more information on your sensory sensitivities and preferences.  
2. Use tools to help manage your sensory sensitivities:
   1. Noise: get some noise reducing headphones such as Loop earplugs, put away loud toys for now
   2. Touch: wear a breastfeeding shirt to reduce light touch on your stomach and chest while breastfeeding, hair pulled back so your baby/toddler can’t pull on it, wear tight/bike shorts/lycra clothing or a weighted shoulder wrap during breastfeeding if it feels good on your body and distracts from all the uncomfortable light touch
   3. Visual Clutter: room dividers, buckets/bins for toys/bottles, have a room that is free of clutter that you can take refuge in when needed
   4. Smell: nose clips for changing diapers, aromatherapy necklace
3. Get as much help as you can with practical things like laundry, housecleaning, and meals. Now is not the time to try to do it all on your own!
4. Reach out for emotional support from good friends, family members, and/or a mental health therapist.
5. Protect your sleep: ask a partner, family member or friend to help with night shifts or during the day so you can have a nap.
6. Set boundaries to protect your energy: limit time spent in places you find overwhelming and with people you find draining.
7. Schedule alone or quiet time for yourself.
8. Incorporate calming activities into your day and especially before more difficult times of the day. Cup of tea, legs up wall, weighted blanket, self-hug, straw drinking, movement you enjoy (yoga, walking). 

What to do in the moment when experiencing sensory overload? 

1. Remove yourself from the offending stimuli: Leave the fair to get away from the noise and visual stimulation, take a quiet break in the bathroom at a baby shower that has gotten really loud, go for a walk outdoors if the mess indoors is getting to you, step outside for a breath of fresh air (or pop in your noise-reducing earbuds) if your baby/child is crying/tantruming and is in a safe place.
2. Deep breaths with a longer exhale: Inhale to the count of 4 and exhale to the count of 6-8 to regulate your nervous system.
3. Try singing, humming, or bilateral tapping: All of which help to activate the polyvagal nerve known to calm the nervous system.
4. Helpful mantras: Remind yourself “this will pass”, “I am safe”, “my brain is just overwhelmed”. 
5. Release some energy: Punch a pillow or scream if you need a release.
6. Take a shower to reset
7. Step outside 
8. Supportive Visuals: Write out your top ways to regulate on a piece of paper on the fridge and in your phone so you can refer to them when you are overwhelmed and unable to think clearly and make decisions. 

The Importance of Seeking Help

Mothers often feel bad asking others for help thinking that they “should” be able to manage it on their own. This is so far from the truth! It is so important for new moms to have the social support of other moms in the same phase of life, practical support in caring for a newborn and managing a household, and the emotional support of adjusting to a change in identity, a major shift in daily routines, and the conflicting emotions that often comes with motherhood. 

Becoming a mom is a developmental transition like no other. Mothers undergo changes in every aspect of their being – physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. Add in sleep deprivation, rapid hormone fluctuations, and not having the time to do your regular activities for stress management and it is no wonder that this period in life is filled with its challenges alongside its beauty. New moms are more prone to sensory overload, as are individuals who are neurodiverse or have experienced birth trauma. Coming up with a plan for managing sensory sensitivities is a great start, but getting more practical and holistic support to aid in the mom’s healing and adjustment to motherhood need to be a part of the equation for more effective reduction and management of sensory overload.

What are your experiences of sensory overload and what do you use to cope? 

Share this post with a friend or family member who could use this information. If you would like more support in identifying your sensory sensitivities or managing despite them, please reach out to New Heights Occupational Therapy and Wellness for compassionate and effective support.